The Golden State Warriors have traded away slashing scorer Corey Maggette and their 44th pick in the draft, to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for Charlie Bell and Dan Gadzuric. At first glance it seems like a mutually beneficial trade for the two teams. The Bucks need scoring help, and the Warriors need size and defense.
Milwaukee really lacked scoring from the type of player that can create his own shot, and needed to rely heavily on point guard Brandon Jennings for scoring in the latter part of the season when Bogut went down. They did receive scoring in bursts from wingman John Salmons, however all signs are indicating he will be leaving in free agency. All of that combined with the fact that their veteran sharpshooter Michael Redd this season once again missed significant time due to a knee injury, you can see how a scorer like Corey Maggette will fulfill their offseason wishlist.
“Corey has been a consistent scorer throughout his career,” Bucks general manager John Hammond said in a statement. “He shoots a solid percentage from the field and has shown the ability to get to the free throw line. We’re looking forward to having him in a Bucks uniform.”
As for the Warriors, it was quite obvious that after another season of being a trigger happy run and gun team with no defense they needed some help in the paint to tighten things up. Dan Gadzuric is long, athletic and can change shots which will immediately help to anchor their defense with their second unit. Maggette in 2009-10 did average 19.8 points per game, but considering an electrifying backcourt of Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis you know the Warriors aren’t worrying about scoring the ball. Defense on the other hand has been an issue, especially with Curry and Ellis both being undersized defending the perimeter. Enter Charlie Bell. Many NBA scouts rank Bell as one of the top perimeter defenders in the league. He won’t get you a ton of scoring, but he is solid none the less, and when matched with either Curry or Ellis in the backcourt will help lock down the perimeter.
“Charlie and Dan are two high-character veterans who can provide us with some of the intangibles that we need on our squad,” Warriors general manager Larry Riley said in a statement. “They are both experienced veterans who will be welcomed additions to our very young team. Additionally, while we certainly wish Corey well and thank him for his outstanding contributions the last two years, this will help alleviate a log-jam that we have at small forward and, more importantly, power forward, where we expect both Brandan Wright and Anthony Randolph to return from injuries and play an increased role on our team next season.”
